The Purge of the Penguins: politics dominate Oscar nominations

There will be no tuxedoed birds waddling down the red carpet this year. The Oscar nominations were announced this morning, and the Best Documentary Feature category is bursting with political content. The customary war flicks are there, as is the perennial Michael Moore nod, along with… oh wait, that's it. The recipe for Oscar success is clear: make a movie about war, or be lucky enough to work with the big guy.

And the nominees are:

No End in Sight: A comprehensive look at the Bush Administration's conduct of the Iraq war and its occupation of the country. (DVD)

Operation Homecoming: A unique documentary about troops' experiences in Iraq and Afghanistan, based on writings by soldiers, Marines, and air men. (DVD)

Taxi to the Dark Side: An in-depth look at the torture practices of the United States in Afghanistan, Iraq and Guantanamo Bay, focusing on an innocent taxi driver in Afghanistan who was tortured and killed in 2002.

War/Dance: Three children living in a displacement camp in northern Uganda compete in their country's national music and dance festival. (DVD)

Oh, and don't worry about the Penguins. Their cartoon cousins managed to pull in a nod in the Animated Feature Film category for Surf's Up, although Persepolis is going to whip their fluffy black and white butts.